Turkey "Swedish" Meatballs

First, I'm officially back! I hope you all enjoyed the remainder of your summer and are getting used to the full schedules again. It was a rough couple of weeks around here with a lot of personal issues to attend to, but I did manage to create a nice backlog of recipes to share with all of you in the coming weeks. I also wanted to let you know that the monthly newsletter will be coming out this afternoon and I have signed on with a new company, Mail Chimp, so be on the lookout for that if you're signed up! Also, this Friday Seafood Frenzy Friday link party will be back up and running after a brief hiatus, so pass the word around and share with your friends. I can't wait to see what's in store.

And now for today's new recipe, Turkey "Swedish" Meatballs, that I posted as a teaser on Facebook last week. I didn't want to keep you hanging on for too long with these~Enjoy! 

Black Bean and Turkey Chili

I know it's not quite chili weather, but that doesn't mean you can't make an all-in-one meal year round! Especially if you're like my family and you're already running ragged with the kids activities.

Florentine Baked Cavatelli with Ground Turkey

What a week I had last week! It started with a local book signing last Saturday afternoon and I want to thank the people that stopped by to say hello. It was so nice to see some old friends and familiar faces. I have to say, though I knew it was going to be a lot of work, I didn't realize how much time it would take to network and get my own book signings, though I'm happy to report I did manage to add another event to my calendar in February (visit the Announcements & Events tab for more information). From there, I had to go to a cheering competition at our local high school where Gab was competing and Rachael's squad was hosting (a.k.a. the parents had to work it). All was going well until my oldest daughter tore the muscle under her ribcage....yes, again. This is probably the third time she's done this and we know the routine. Ice. Alleve. Rest. Repeat. And they say cheering isn't a sport! The long cheering season (August-February) is taking it's toll on all of us, but thankfully the season is nearing to an end and we can see light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. 

The kids had off from school for a snow day last Wednesday. We didn't have that much snow but it was that heavy, wet snow and where I live, if the buses can't get "up the mountain", there is no school for all.  Hopefully, the remainder of this winter will be mild; especially after losing 7 days during the Hurricane Sandy, so we won't be going until July! We had a wing at our local hospital named after us...just kidding! But we did make our 3rd visit to the ER in a month. This time it was Gab who sprained her finger in gymnastics. They had to splint it for a few days, but she's ok now...just a little bruised. To round out our weekend, we attended two cheering competitions for Rachael's squad where they took first place on Friday night, then took 3rd place on Saturday. The girls did a fantastic job and have been working so hard and it shows. 

We were supposed to go to another competition on Sunday for Gab's squad; however, some members of the team were either sick or injured so we had to cancel our appearance...there's always next time! It was actually a nice, unexpected break as we're all coming down with head colds.  We spent the day watching movies and had my in-laws over for dinner since we hadn't seen them in a few weeks. Don wanted me to make the Champagne Braised Chicken with Grape Tomatoes and Capers again since he enjoyed it so much the last time and because it was so easy, it was a wonderful choice; though I used a Chardonnay in place of the champagne this time. 

With all of this running around, I barely had time to cook, let alone sit to eat as a family; which brings me to today's recipe for Florentine Baked Cavatelli with Ground Turkey. I just love a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of pasta recipe that doesn't weigh you down and this one does just that. Cavatelli are a type of pasta that resemble miniature hot dog buns and though I know it's probably easy to make, I opted for the frozen variety to save on much needed preparation time. What I liked most about this meal is that it's loaded with some of my favorite flavors: garlic, spinach and tomatoes and by adding lean ground turkey, it was a complete meal that we could heat and eat when we had the opportunity to do so. 

Florentine Baked Cavatelli with Ground Turkey
1lb. Frozen or Fresh Cavatelli
1 lb. 99/1 Lean Ground Turkey
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1/4 c. Red Onion, chopped
8 oz. Frozen Chopped Spinach
1-14.5oz. Can Hunts Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
1-6oz. Can Hunts Tomato Paste
8oz. Water
1/4 c. Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
1 c. Part Skim Mozzarella, shredded

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, leaving them on the al dente side; drain. 
3. Meanwhile, add turkey to a Dutch oven or large non-stick saute pan and brown; making sure there is no pink left. 
4. Next, add the garlic and onion and saute for another 2-3 minutes; then add the spinach, tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and cheeses. Mix well then stir in the cavatelli. 
5. Place in an 8"x8" oven safe dish and bake for 45 minutes or until the sides are bubbling. 
Serves 8. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 321, Carbs 35.8g, Fat 7.4g, Protein 26.1g, Fiber 5g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy!

Fiesta Turkey Meatloaf

I have NO idea what made me think of adding fresh limes to my ground turkey the other day, but I was certainly glad I did! The summer always make me crave foods that are light and refreshing and limes and cilantro certainly do the trick. I originally wanted to make these as burgers, but as soon as I was about to prepare them, we had this deluge of rain come down and I wasn't about to stand outside and grill them.  If you have some jalepeno peppers, add them as well to give it more of a kick! 

Fiesta Turkey Meatloaf
1 lb. 99/1 Ground Turkey
1/2 c. Tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp. Red Onion, grated
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Lime, zest and juice
1 tbsp. Canola Oil
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper




Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together, then form into a rectangle shape. 
2. Place in an oven safe baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour or until proper internal temperature is reached. Serves 6. 

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories 93, Carbs 2.6g, Fat 1.5g, Protein 18g, Fiber .7g, Sugar .5g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Shared at Thursday's Treasures 8/23/12

Guest Blogger-Turkey Peanut Meatballs in Glass Noodles from Mia's Domain

Happy 4th of July to all of my American friends! I wish I could celebrate with you, but at the time of this post, I have just arrived in Barcelona and am probably on my way to the hotel, so maybe I'll go run with some bulls instead of lighting fireworks tonight!  ;)


Today, I have the lovely Mia Reiter from Mia's Domain with us today to share her recipe for these delicious Turkey Peanut Meatballs. I'm also excited to announce that she has recently started her own home based baking business in the Garden Ridge, TX area (Texas Hill Country) so for all of my TX friends out there (I know you're reading this!), go check out her product offerings here, you truly won't be sorry!

As a young girl, I frequently visited my beloved grandma who lived in a very small village just outside of town. Though she only had a tiny kitchen with no refrigerator and a makeshift outdoor stove, she enjoyed cooking everything from scratch...with lots of love! I’ve long since sampled a wide variety of unique foods from around the world - but my inspiration, passion, and LOVE for food STILL comes from Grandma. I try to buy everything from local farms or farmers markets whenever possible, using mostly fresh, wild, natural, or organic ingredients. I thrive on experimentation and make everything from scratch at home. I have no formal training and I'm not a professional chef, nor do I claim to be a photographer. I am simply sharing my joy of food with you. It's also important to mention that my recipes are not as much about dieting, as they are about enjoying REAL unprocessed food. I also am doing my best to share recent articles that further support my beliefs regarding food and wellness related issues.  

After over a year of blogging and several decades of experimentation, I've now chosen to offer my community real, hand crafted, homemade, unprocessed natural or organic food - that tastes great but doesn't break the bank! I am also experimenting with several new recipes for those with dietary restrictions (gluten-free, eggless, sugar-free, etc.) and welcome your requests and feedback. Before you ask - Yes! I have big plans for the future...but everyone has to start somewhere. I promise you that if you support me now, you'll eat well in the future! Bon Apetit!

Hope you enjoy! ~ Mia

Turkey Peanut Meatballs in Glass Noodles

Meatballs:

1 pound fresh lean ground turkey

1 small white onion, chopped

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 large egg

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Handful fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

1 teaspoon mustard

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Pre heat oven to 400 F. Combine all the ingredients together and mix well to combine. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Roll into about 1" diameter balls. Arrange on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked. Keep warm.

Peanut Sauce:

1 can full cream coconut milk

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce

1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce

1 tablespoon honey

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Bring coconut milk to a boil, whisk in peanut butter, teriyaki sauce, sweet chili sauce, garlic, and honey. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens and smooth (about 3 to 4 minutes). Set aside.

Glass Noodles:

1 packet glass noodles/vermicelli

Bring a large saucepan of water to boil. Remove from heat. Add glass noodles. Set aside for 3 to 4 minutes to soften, or until al dente, then drain. Cut noodles into small pieces with a pair of scissors (optional).

Arrange noodles at the bottom of a large serving platter. Add meatballs and drizzle sauce all over the top. Garnish with fresh herbs and chopped peanuts. Serve hot.




As home based baker, I'm only capable of serving the Garden Ridge,Texas community and those in close proximity at this time...but I'm hoping to expand my reach ASAP! At this time, it is best for me if you pick-up your orders from my house at the designated time. Special arrangements can be made, such as very local delivery or a different pick-up time - but those agreements must be made in advance and may incur an additional fee, depending on the scenario. Mail order is NOT available at this time.

Sun Dried Tomato & Asiago Cheese Turkey Burgers

Well, today is officially Thanksgiving and I have so much to be thankful for this year. I have a wonderful family and support system that is there for me whenever and wherever (and I hope I'm there just as much for them!). I have my health, which in past years has been a little sketchy and also known by some as "The Farias Curse".  I have a roof over my head(even if we loose heat and electric once in a while..lol) and I get to do what I love best every single day...experimenting in my kitchen and sharing my passion with each of you. You truly are amazing and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading what I have to say each day here in my little corner of this vast foodie universe. :)


So, since I'm a little busy cooking our Thanksgiving feast today, I figured I'd at least share with you one of my recent creations. Hey, at least it's turkey-something! 


Happy Thanksgiving!

Sun Dried Tomato & Asiago Cheese Turkey Burgers
1 lb. 99% Fat Free Ground Turkey
1/2 c. Asiago Cheese, shredded
1/4 c. Scallions, chopped
1/4 c. Sun Dried Tomatoes, not packed in oil
1 tsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Canola Oil


Mix all ingredients together until well blended and form into four patties. Grill for 3-5 minutes per side or until internal temperature is at least 165 degrees. Makes 4. 


Points+=7


Now go and watch the parade....Enjoy!

Sun Dried Tomato Turkey Meatloaf

See, you had to know this was coming after I made the Oven Dried Sun Dried Tomatoes didn't you? :)  I just love the flavor of them mixed with basil and of course, mushrooms...I tend to use mushrooms in everything! This meatloaf was so delicious and flavorful. I've said it before, but I really prefer to use the 99% Fat Free Ground Turkey. It is much lighter in color and doesn't have that "gamey" taste like the 93% sometimes does. This meatloaf was so good and full of flavor. 

Sun Dried Tomato Turkey Meatloaf
1 lb. 99% Fat Free Ground Turkey
4 White Mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp. Red Onion, minced
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 c. Sun Dried Tomatoes(in oil), chopped 
(I used the homemade version but store bought is also fine)
2 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
1/4 c. Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated












In a small frying pan, heat oil and add mushrooms, onion and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes until the mushrooms soften. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. In a bowl, add your turkey basil, cheese and mushroom mixture. Mix well until all ingredients have been incorporated.  Form into a rectangular shape, place in an oven safe dish and bake 350°F for approximately 1 hour or until internal temperature of 170°F. Serves 6.

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories 140, Carbs 2.7g, Fat 5.7g, Protein 19.4g, Fiber .8g, Sugar 1.5g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy!

Turkey Stuffed with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto & Asiago Cheese

Well, my house projects are coming along nicely but I feel like I'm going to collapse from exhaustion.  I do have to say that after one year, my bathroom is finally done (and looks great..YEAH!). Also, we had a new banister put in, refinished hardwood floors in three separate rooms and so far this week, I managed to paint the dining room and living room in between running errands and playing Mom taxi. Though with all of this other busy work, it has left little time for me to do much cooking over the last week (good thing I cooked a lot the week before so I had something to post! lol). 

So on Monday I needed to give my back a break from climbing up and down a ladder and decided that would be my "errand day" (I should have stayed home...7 stores later). During one of my stops, I went to Target to pick up two items (yeah right, who can go in there and just buy two things?). I always like to browse through the food isles to see if anything new is out there that I can use to try different things and I hit the jackpot. 

Giada De Laurentiis had come out with a line of pesto made specifically for Target(and apparently it's been out for almost a year but I've never seen it in our local store). She had a couple of different varieties but the Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto caught my eye. It contains olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, basil, Grana cheese, tomatoes, cashews, garlic, salt, vinegar, and pine nuts. Now I could have just made this myself but being so busy lately, I purchased it thinking I could just make it with pasta one night in a pinch. 

Then I got home and my 40+ brain had forgotten that I had taken out a Turkey London Broil for dinner already. I didn't want it to go to waste since it was in the refrigerator for 2 days already and I needed to do something with it. (Here's a picture of what it actually looks like if you've never seen it. Basically, it's just the breast meat from a turkey and is usually 1 1/2-2 lbs so it's the perfect size to feed my family of 4). I decided to slice the turkey and flatten it so that I could stuff it. I used the pesto and found some leftover Asiago cheese in the refrigerator. INCREDIBLE...though how can you go wrong with sun dried tomatoes and Asiago cheese! This was so easy and quick to prepare and as you can see, hardly any ingredients. I used the wine to put in the bottom of the pan so that I could baste the turkey with it while it was cooking but you could also just use some chicken broth or water, you just don't want it to dry out. 

Turkey Stuffed with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto & Asiago Cheese

1 1/2 lb. Turkey London Broil

1/2 c. Giada De Laurentiis Sun Dried Tomato Pesto (or you could make your own)

1/2. c. Shredded Asiago Cheese

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Garlic Powder, to taste

Kosher Salt, to taste

Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

1/2 c. White Wine

Using a sharp knife (I use my Wusthof, ok free product plug here), carefully slice the meat horizontally into about a 1/2" thickness, unraveling it until it it flat. Gently pound with a meat mallet to get even thickness, spread the pesto and sprinkle with the cheese. Next, roll up the turkey from right to left (or left to right if you're a lefty like my Mom), and tie with kitchen string to secure. 

Place in a baking dish, brush with olive oil then sprinkle the top with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the wine to the baking dish and bake at 350°F for approximately 1 hour 15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let it rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serves 4. 

Enjoy!